Reduction of molecular weight in polynucleotides using ultrasonic radiation

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION DISCLOSED HEREIN RELATED TO NOVEL MULTISTRANDED POLYNUCLEOTIDE COMPLEXES HAVING NTERFERONINDUCING ACTIVITY AND WITH PHARMACEUTICAL COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; WITH PROCESSES FOR PREPARING SAID COMPLEXES; AND WITH METHODS FOR STIMULATING THE PRODUCTION OF INTERFERON IN LIVING ANIMAL CELLS UTILIZING SUCH COMPLEXES AND COMPOSITIONS. MORE PARTICULARLY, IT RELATES TO DOUBLE-STRANDED COMPLEXES OF POLYRIBOINOSINIC ACID AND POLYRIBOCYTIDYLIC ACID (RIN:CN) IN WHICH THE AVERAGE MOLECULAR SIZE OF THE POLYRIBACYTIDYLIC ACID COMPONENTS OF THE COMPLEX IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THAT OF THE POLYRIBOINOSINIC ACID COMPONENTS, AND WHICH ARE PRODUCED (A) BY CONTROLLED SYNTHESIS OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOMOPOLYNUCLEOTIDES, (B) BY CONTROLLED DEPOLYMERIZATION OF EITHER HOMOPOLYNUCLEOTIDES OR POLYNUCLEOTIDE COMPLEXES BY EXPOSING THEM TO SONIC RADIATION; OR (C) BY CONTROLLED DEPOLYMERIZATION OF THE HOMOPOLYNUCLEOTIDE POLYRIBOCYTIDYLIC ACID, BY EXPOSING IT TO RIBONUCLEASE DEGRADATION; SUCH RIN:RCN COMPLEXES POSSESS MAXIMAL INTERFERON-PRODUCTING WITH MINIMAL TOXICITY.

United States Patent one 3,666,646 Patented May 30, 1972 3,666,646 REDUCTION OF MOLECULAR WEIGHT IN POLYNUCLEOTIDES USING ULTRASONIC RADIATION George P. Lampson, Hatfield, Alfred A. Tytell, Lansdale,

Arthur K. Field, North Wales, and Maurice R. Hilleman, Lafayette Hill, Pa., assignors to Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ. No Drawing. Filed May 15, 1970, Ser. No. 37,896 Int. Cl. B01j1/10, 1/12 US. Cl. 204-1601 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention disclosed herein relates to novel multistranded polynucleotide complexes having interferoninducing activity and with pharmaceutical compositions thereof; with processes for preparing said complexes; and with methods for stimulating the production of interferon in living animal cells utilizing such complexes and compositions. More particularly, it relates to double-stranded complexes of polyriboinosinic acid and polyribocytidylic acid (rl z rC in which the average molecular size of the polyribocytidylic acid components of the complex is substantially less than that of the polyriboinosinic acid components, and which are produced (a) by controlled synthesis of the individual homopolynucleotides, (b) by controlled depolymerization of either homopolynucleotides or polynucleotide complexes by exposing them to sonic radiation; or (c) by con-trolled depolymeriza-tion of the homopolynucleotide polyriboc'ytidylic acid, by exposing it to ribonuclease degradation; such rI IQ complexes possess maximal interferon-producing activity with minimal toxicity.

This invention relates to novel multistranded polynucleotride complexes which will induce living cells to produce interferon, and with pharmaceutical compositions containing such complexes. More particularly, it relates to double-stranded complexes of polyriboinosinic acid and polyribocytidylic acid (rl zrC in which the average molecular size of the polyribocytidylic acid components of the complex is substantially less than that of the polyriboinosinic acid components; with processes for producing these novel rI,,,:rC complexes; and With methods comprising administering these novel rI,,:rC complexes to living animal cells, thereby stimulating the production of interferon in such cells and increasing resistance of said cells to viral infection. These rI mC complexes possess maximal interferon-producing activity with substantially reduced toxicity.

(Interferons are polypeptides of relatively low molecular weight which are produced by living animal cells, which production is stimulated by viruses and, as earlier discovered by us, by exposure to multistranded polynucleotides. The interferons protect uninfected cells from viral infection for prolonged periods of time when given prior to infection. They are broad-spectrum with respect to virus species, but are relatively host species-specific.

The 1"L[ :rC complexes of this invention can be used as inducers for interferon production, either in vivo or in vitro. The principal use is for administration, either intranasally or by injection, to a host animal or human so that interferon is produced in vivo in substantial quantities, whereby it serves to protect the host against infection by a variety of viruses. It is also valuable for production of interferon in cell cultures of living animal or human cells; the interferon so produced may be used for administration to the corresponding species to increase resistance to virus infection.

In accordance with the present invention rl zrc complexes, in which the average molecular weights of the components has been substantially reduced, have been found to possess high activity as inducers of interferon, and at the same time reduced toxicity. Such lower molecular weight rI,,:rC complexes are produced directly from untreated complex by subjecting it to sonic radiation. Such treatment is conveniently carried out by exposing a solution of the rI :rC complex, having a concentration of approximately 1 mg./ml., to the sonic radiation produced by a generator equipped with a inch probe and having a 210 watt output. The sonic radiation is ordinarily carried out with cooling, and for various periods of time depending on the degree of depolymerization which it is desired to achieve. Sonication times from approximately 30 seconds up to about 16 minutes are ordinarily sufficient when utilizing a sonic generator of the power output noted hereinabove.

Examination of rl zrc solutions thus exposed to sonic radiation indicate that increasing time periods result in approximately exponential decrease in relative viscosity. Sonication for periods up to 16 minutes caused only a slight diminution in the capacity of the degraded rl zrC complex to induce interferon in rabbits, although the capacity to induce resistance to VSV virus in cell culture, and to PMV infection in mice, is somewhat reduced.

In accordance with a further embodiment of this invention, rl zrc, complexes are prepared in which the individual rI and rC components are of reduced average molecular weight. These lower molecular weight homopolymers are conveniently prepared by controlled enzymatic polymerization of inosine diphosphate and cytidine diphosphate using polynucleotide-phosphorylase (PNP'ase) as the enzymatic catalyst. Alternatively, rC homopolymers of relatively low average molecular weight can be produced by degradation of high molecular weight rC by means of sonic radiation as hereinabove described. High molecular weight rC homopolymer is also conveniently degraded by treatment with ribonuclease, preferably pancreatic ribonuclease-A; thus, rQ homopolymer having an average molecular weight of approximately 1.9 10 and relative viscosity 4.1 (water=1.0), is degraded to partially depolymerized rC having relative viscosity of about 1.08 by 30 minutes digestion with ribonuclease.

' The following examples illustrate methods of carrying out the present invention, but it is to be understood that these examples are given for purposes of illustration and not of limitation.

EXAMPLE 1 Polyriboninosinic acidzp'olyribocytidylic acid complex (rl zrc is prepared as described in our copending ap plication Ser. No. 684,936, filed Nov. 22, 1967. Solutions of this complex (approximately 200 ml. volume) having a concentration of 1 mg./ml. are exposed with cooling, for various periods of time, to sonic radiation employing a sonic generator (such as a 20,000 cycle Biosonic III) equipped with a inch probe having a 210 watt output. Each of the partially deploymerized rI :rC solutions obtained after various sonification times are then characterized by relative viscosity, sedimentation coeflicient, average molecular weight, thermal transition midpoint (Tm C.), percent hyperchromicity, relative ribonuclease sensitivity, and ultraviolet absorption spectra; the values obtained* are summarized in the fol- 4 EXAMPLE 3 A solution of polynucleotide (rl zrc complex; having a concentration of 1 mg./ml., which has been reduced by sonic radiation to a relative viscosity of approximately lowing table. 5 1.3, is applied to a column packed with 4% beaded aga- Relative Average Percent RNase Relative molecular liypersensi- E viscosity S 2 weight Tm C. chrornicity tivity (262 m 2. 1 16. 9 4. 2x10 62. 5 70. 7 114 1&0

Relative viscosities are measured using a viscosimeter (Ostwald) having a flow time of 120 seconds with water at C. Sedimentation coefiicients are determined using an ultracentiiiuge (Spinco Model E) equipped with a scanning ultraviolet system. Molecular Weigh ts 120 seconds with water at 25 C. Sedimentation coefllcients are determined using an ultracentrifuge (Spinco Model E) equipped with a scanning ultraviolet system. Molecular weights are calculated using the following empirical equation, which relates the sedimentation c0- efficient directly to molecular weight: M.W.=1.15X10 XS Percent liyperchromicity is calculated as the percent increase in optical density during thermal dissociation. Tm and RN ase sensitivity are measured as described in Ser. No. 684,936.

rose (Sepharose B), and eluted with phosphate-saline buffer (0.006 M sodium phosphate; 0.15 M sodium chloride;

- pH=7), using volumes of eluant (Ve) which are in excess of the void volume (V Nine separate fractions from this chromatography, which contain sonicated rl zrC complex having average molecular weights ranging from about 6.0 10* to over 10 are tested for capacity to induce rabbit sera interferon, and for interference with Protection mice against PVM Percent Interferon induction in Interference excess rlntrCn used rabbits with PVM survival in cell cul- Dose. over Sonic rad, Rel. Approx. Dose, ugJ Interferon ture, min. eff. ugJ untreated min. vis. .W ra titer 1 dose pgJml. mouse control A 16.0 1. 05 2. SXlU 5 641), 320 1). U08 4. (l .5 1 1 5, 8O 1. U 12 0. 25 20 Control 0 5, 5 0. 0

using vesicular stomatltis virus for challenge.

Mice are pretreated with 0.3 ml. of rIn: I'Cn solutions intrauasally three hours prior to intranasal infection: with 30 LD of PVM.

PVM viral infection in primary rabbit kidney cell cultures. The results are summarized in the following table:

EXAMPLE Interference Rabbit sera with PVM s m 1 er Intrane -gm m cell 5 A solution of rC (S 20:92) containing 1 mg. mbbuwg' 1 er rC /ml. is treated with 0.01 ,ug./ml. of pancreatic ribo- 2 28,128 100 nuclease for periods of time varying from 0 to 30 minutes, 21 2 320:6 "556 and the ribonuclease-degraded rC fractions are com- 221x10 2 20.30 100 plexed with untreated rI (S :92) in equirnolar con- 2.0 10 2 2020 100 1 12x10. 2 5160 10 centration. (Addition of rI solut1on immediately in- 1.0 10 50 hibits degradation of the rC by ribonuclease.) The rela- ?.0 10 2 3 5. 5 12 5 tive v1scos1t1es, ultraviolet absorption spectra, hypo- Control chromicities, and biological assays of the r-l trc com- 1 Percent activity relative to f ctio L plexes are set forth 1n the following table:

Biological essay r nZl'Cu Physical assay rluzrcn VSV in rabbit cell culture Time r0n Hypocluo- Min. prot. treatment, Relative y micity, dose, PVM Min. eti. Rel. act., minutes viscosity 1% percent mice dose (pg/m1.) percent 1 Minimum intranasal dose in ug/ml. which protects at least 40% of the treated mice against otherwise infection with LD50 of PV M.

2 Compared with time 0 sample.

30 EXAMPLE 6 Various molecular sizes of the homopolymers, rI and rC are synthesized by controlled enzymatic polymeriza- EXAMPLE 4 tion of inosine diphosphate and cytidine diphosphate, respectively, utilizing polynucleotide phosphorylase as Solutions of the individual homopolynucleotide polyribocytidylic acid, rC (S are exposed to sonic radiation for periods of 5 and 15 minutes, respectively, substantially in accordance with the sonication procedure used to treat rl zrc complex in Example 1 hereinabove, The untreated rC and the rC of lower average molecular weight produced by sonication, are complexed with rI (S and the relative viscosities of the resulting rl zrC complexes; their ability to induce interferon production in rabbits; and their capacity for resistance against catalyst. The resulting rI and rC homopolymers of varying molecular weights are complexed in equimolar amount with high molecular weight rC and r1... respectively. The capacities of the complexes thus formed to induce resistance against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in primary rabbit kidney cell cultures, and to protect mice against pneumonia virus of mice (PVM), as compared with rI, :rC prepared using high molecular weight homopolymers (S 20:92) for both the rI and rC are set forth in the following tables:

rIn component rC.l component Aver. No. Aver. No. Relative activity* Average nucleotide Average nucleotide against VSV in SW, 10 M. W. units SW. 20 M. W units cell culture (percent) 0. 2 1 9x10 550 9, 2 1. 9X10 500 100 Control. 9.2 1 9X10 550 4. 0 3. 7X10 110 100 9. 2 1 9x10 550 3. O 2. 1X10 100 Smaller 1'01}- 9. 2 1 9x10 550 1. 7X10 5 0. 05 0, 0 7. 8X10 220 9. 2 1 9X10 560 10-50 3. 0 2. 1x10 60 9. 2 1 9x10 560 5 Smaller IT.

*Pcg'cent 01 activity compared with control rlnzrCn in which each component had S QLD.

VSV infection in cell cultures, is set forth in the following table:

Interference with VSV in cell Induction of cultures interferon minimal Relative in rabbits efiective Sonification viscosity, dose, 15.] Interferon (lose time minutes r1 nn-C rabbit titer g/n. l.)

Control 1 0 5, 5

1 N o inducer.

Protection of mice against PVM infection 7 EXAMPLE 7 To 250 ml. of a solution containing 1 mg/ml. of rC (S 20:92) in phosphate-saline buffer (PBS) containing 0.006 M phosphate, 0.15 M sodium chloride, and having pH 7.0, is added 0.1 ml. of a solution containing 0.25 g. of pancreatic-ribonuclease-A. The solution is thoroughly mixed, and enzymatic digestion allowed to proceed for a period of approximately 90 minutes to give a solution of degraded rC 'CS Approximately 250 ml. of a solution containing 1.07 mg./ml. of high molecular weight homopolymer rI in PBS is added directly to the degraded rC' solution (containing ribonuclease enzyme), and the solution is thoroughly mixed thereby quenching the ribonuclease activity and forming the complex of rI and degraded rC Two volumes of cold (20 C.) absolute ethanol is added to the solution containing the rLpdegraded rC complex, the mixture is allowed to stand about 15 hours at 20 C., and the precipitated material is recovered by centrifugation, washed with 200 ml. ethanol, and dried to give approximately 500 mg. of II degraded rC as a white fibrous mass.

The latter material (amounting to approximately 500 mg.) is dissolved in 100 ml. of PBS solution, and 0.1 ml. of 0.1 M MgCl solution is added (final concentration 0.01 M MgCI to give a solution containing about 5 mg./rnl. of rI :rC complex. The capacity of this com plex containing the degraded rC to protect mice against PVM infection, as compared with rI :rC prepared using high molecular weight homopolymers for both the rI and rC and the relative toxicities of the two complexes, are set forth in the following table:

stranded polyriboinosinic acid: polyribocytidylic acid (rI rC complex, having an average molecular Weight of about million, to suflicient sonic radiation to achieve a reduction of about 50% to 97% in the average molecular weight of said rI :rC complex, such rI :rC complex of reduced average molecular weight being characterized as possessing substantially undiminished interferoninducing activity with reduced toxicity.

2. The process which comprises subjecting to sonic radiation, at a frequency of about 20,000 cycles for a period of up to about 16 minutes, a multi-stranded polyriboinosinic acidzpolyribocytidylic complex (rI :rC having an average molecular weight of about 10 million, thereby reducing the average molecular weight of the rl zrC complex to about 3% to about 50% of the starting value; such rl zrc complex of reduced average molecular weight being characterized as possessing substantially undiminished interferon-inducing activity with reduced toxicity.

3. The process which comprises subjecting to sonic radiation, at a frequency of about 20,000 cycles for a period up to about 15 minutes, a polyribocytidylic acid (rC homopolymer having a sedimentation coefiicient (S approximately equal to 9.2, and characterized as forming (when complexed with a polyriboinosinic acid (rI homopolymer of S 20 of about 9.2) a multistranded polyriboinosinic acidzpolyribocytidylic acid complex (rI zrc having relative viscosity of about 3.0, thereby forming an rC homopolymer of reduced average molecular weight characterized as forming (when complexed with an rl homopolymer of S 20 about 9.2) an rI nC complex having a reduced relative viscosity from Protection of mice against PVM ction Toxicity Complex of high M.W. rIn with Total dose nil in glruouse Number survived treated Survival, Total percent over dose,

control rug/mouse Number survived Approx. so,

treated rug/kilo Degraded rCn-.. 4

High M.W. lCn..-.

Control (PBS) It will be noted that, as compared with the high M.W.

' rl zrc complex, the nI zdegraded rC complex retains,

undiminished, the antiviral host resistance capability against PVM in mice, but shows a significant reduction in toxicity. The LD calculated from these data show a favorable advantage of about 6.5-hold for the rI :degraded rC over the high M.W. material, whereas the activities as inducers of host resistance are approximately equal.

Various changes and modifications may be made in carrying out the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Insofar as these changes and modifications are within the scope of the appended claims, they are to be considered as part of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The process which comprises subjecting a multibelow'3.0 to about 1.5, such rI,,:rC complex of reduced relative viscosity being characterized as possessing sub- 50 stantially undiminished interferon-inducer activity with reduced toxicity.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,256,152 6/1966 Lampson 424 ss 3,021,269 2/1962 Miller 204159.14

JOHN C. BLEUTGE, Primary Examiner R. B. TURER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 42485, 

